Adjusting buckle for the suspension straps leading from a parachute harness to the parachute



Feb. 5, 1952 c. H. LUNDHOLM 2,584,358 ADJU T NG BUCKLE FOR THE SUSPENSION STRAPS ADING HAR LE 0M A PARA TE NESS TO THE PARACHUTE ed April 6, 1950 @MMM Patented Feb. 5, 1952 N TED "STATES PATENT om STRAPS LEADING FROM A PARACHUTE HARNESS TO THE PARACHUTE can Herman Lundholm, Stockholm, Sweden j I U Application April 6, 1950, Serial No. 154,232 1..

4 Claims. 244-151) .The present invention relates to an improvement of the adjusting buckles which are arranged on the suspension straps leading from the parachute harness to the parachute proper, viz. on harnesses fitted with a quick release connector.

. Parachute harnesses with quick release connectors may be divided into two main categories,

namely:

1. Such harnesses, which have two pairs of suspension straps leading from the harness to the,

parachute, one pair being arranged on each side, one strap in each pair passing, in use, at the back of the wearer downwards under his seat where such straps together form a U-shaped sling, the other strap in each pair being, in use, releasably fastened to the quick release connector. Each pair of suspension straps is slidably interconnected by an adjusting buckle placed at the upper front of the wearer, which buckle hitherto usually has been of rectangular shape and has special straps, which are arranged at the upperv front of the wearer for releasable connection with the quick release connector. This strap or straps may be either permanently or slidably connected with the suspension straps, in the latter case by an adjusting buckle.

Both the described categories of harnesses have their advantages and drawbacks.

The principal advantage of the former harness consists therein that the wearer on landin may get altogether free from the harness, after the strap ends engaged in the quick release connector are freed therefrom. The drawback consists therein that the wearer, after a jump, gets his head jammed between both pairs of suspension straps. Moreover the adjusting buckles have a tendency to slide upwards through the jerk arising at a jump, whereby an arrow-shaped gap is formed by each pair of said straps, which naturally makes the position of the parachutist still more uncomfortable.

The second harness type is more comfortable to the wearer at a jump, because the suspension straps get well removed from his head and are also well assembled in each pair by the adjusting buckles. The drawback with th s ype can sists therein that the wearer, after landing,- does not get free from the harness at his shoulders, although the upper strap endshave-beemdisengaged from the quickrelease connector. Therefore he has to take off the harness in the same way as one takes off a waistcoat, which may be difficult, if he is dragged alon the-ground after an inflated parachute, orif. he-descends into water. i The object of the present invention is to propose a harness, which combines the advantagesof both theharnesses described without having any of their drawbacks. For that purposea new type of adjusting buckle for the suspension straps is proposed for the first category of z'harn'ess described. The new buckle differs from those used hitherto both as regards transversely extending slots' iand the shape. Whilst in ordinary 'adjustingbuck-les, the ends of upper slots are situated right above correspondin ends of slots underneath, and' the shape of such buckles mostlyis"substantially rectangular, a buckle, according to this invention has at least one upper slot the outwards directed end of which projects over-the corresponding end of a slot arranged underneath the former. Further the shape of the new buckle is substantially a rhomboid. Preferably two upper broad slots are arranged for receiving both suspension straps on each side and two narrow slots with a breadth about half of that of the'former slots for receiving only the strap which is adaptedlto be'relea' ably fastened to the quick release connector. By

this arrangement, the suspension straps will when the parachutist is suspended in the harness get well removed from the head. By the greater number of slots, any undesirable sliding upwards of the buckle on the harness being subjected to the load of the user is avoided.

Instead of consisting of one rhomboid only, the buckle can be made of two rhomboids, the upper one housing the broad slots and the lower one the narrow slots. The lower longitudinal side of the former portion is partly joined with the upper longitudinal side of the latter. By such a shape, the suspension straps may be still further removed from the head of the parachutist than if the buckle is only made up of one rhomboid. In any case, it is natural that the ends of the slots form substantially straight lines throughout the buckle. The number of slots may also vary depending on the webbing used in the harness. If the surface of the same is very smooth, it may thus be advisable to use more than four slots.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 shows a harness embodying the new invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a substantially rhomboid-shaped adjusting of buckle.

The various details in the harness are num- I shows the upper portion of the suspension straps leading to the parachute (not shown), I the lower portions of the same passing under the seat of the wearer, I are the'rsuspension straps which are releasably fastened t'o the -quickirelease connector. 2 denotes the leg straps passing between the wearers legs. 3 shows two straps arranged crosswise at the back. "4 is a waist strap, 5 and 8 are fastening strapsi'for :a .ring-eshaped member, which is designed to pull the leg straps to the sides. 8 shows the quick release connector. I is a substantially rhomboid shaped adjusting the principal reatur'e pf thi invention. s

1'2 'iaife adjusting buckl'e's for the le straps am; the waist 's'traps "respectively.

.hormontai'strap passing below the :neck :of the if wearer. lshcws ahandl'e fo'r-eiiectingl-the mandial"ielease oT the{parachute whilst I 5 i'sac'able tram said handle to the parachute pack (not shown). I6 is a broad strap for the placement of the haniileWl. 'flsh'ows rastemn 'means atthe trapends' ofthe-suspension straps 1' and .the flag straps 2' for engagemerit :in-the'quick lrelease "connector. *25 are 'broa'd ahd ':26':narrow slots in the rhomboid-shaped adjusting buckle 'l -flfwhilst 21 vdenofes the :%principal portion -of the -ringshaped member and 21 the slots arranged "therein.

, "Having now "described m invention, -wh-at I '-"clainr-as=newiaamdrdesire.tosecure-by Letters Patent ls:

'1. Device-en aa parachute harness-fitted withv a 'quickr'elease'connector and twmpairsoil suspension-straps leadingiirom the harness to'thepara- -chute, one .pair beingarrange'd on eachside, one

strapdn each .pair being adapted to ,pass at the back of the wearer downwards under his seat su'ch straps 'together "form a u-shaped sling, the -;other .s'trapin eachpair being adapte'dlto be reil'easably "fastened to the fqui'ck release connector, 'sboth .gtrapsiin eachjpair being sli'da'bly intercon- JQ'Gtd by an "adjusting buckle, which, in use, "is placed "at the upper front of the wearer, said ibucine having "at least .twc transversely extending slots, the one of which is arranged above the other, the upper slot being adapted to receive both suspension straps in a pair, the lower slot only the strap which is adapted for releasable engagement in the quick release connector, the outwards directed end of the upper slot projecting over the corresponding end of the lower slot, whereby the suspension straps, during :9, jump, are removed "from the neighbourhood ofth'e head of the parachutist.

2. Device according to claim 1 in which the adlusting buckle has the shape of substantially a Devic'eonfaparachute harness with a quick .release connector and two pairs of suspension strapsleading from the harness to the parachute, fonezpairebeing:arranged on each side, one strap in each pair being adapted to pass at the back of the wearer downwards under his seat where such straps together form'a U-shaped sling, the other strap in :each :pair ib'eing aadaptediior zreleasable engagement in .the quick-release:connector, :Jacth is'traps :ea'ch pair :being :slidably interconnected by Ian adjusting "buckle, which, :in :use, :is gp'laced at the upperlfronttof'the wearer, zsaidihuckledraving at .:least :four 'rtransversely zextending sslots which :are arranged onetabove*another,r-the upper two of said slots being adapted to receive both straps "tint-a pain and the lower twoxsiots only' the strap which is adaptedffonr eleasable engagement 'inthequick release connector.

'4. Device according to claim :3 ha-vin xan adjus'ting z-buckl'e in which .the :upper twoxslots are 'substantiallytwice as broad asathe lower two-slots.

CARL HERMAN LUNDHOIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following 'reierencesare o'i record-in the file or this patent: V

UNITED "STATES PATENTS v-( Addition .tdNo. 586,013 

